The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Jenin in the morning. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces clash with Palestinians at Haram al-Sharif, leaving 15 worshippers injured. (HA, MNA 9/24; PCHR 9/25)

Hamas and Fatah officials meet in Cairo to discuss further implementation of the national reconciliation agreement signed in 4/2014. They discuss the possible obstacles to the return of the PA unity govt. to the Gaza Strip. (AFP, REU 9/24)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry meets with PA Pres. Abbas in New York, as world leaders convene for the UN General Assembly (UNGA). (MNA 9/24)

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. al-Zahra, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries but arresting 5 fishermen. In a separate incident nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishermen, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 2 villages nr. Jenin, and in 1 village each nr. Hebron and Ramallah; patrols in 3 villages nr. Ramallah, 2 villages nr. Hebron, 1 village nr. Jericho, and Tubas. (PCHR 9/25)

On his way to New York, PA Pres. Abbas says that the Palestinian leadership is close to deciding if it will file complaints against Israel at UN institutions and courts. When he arrives, he meets with Arab League secy.-gen. Nabil al-‘Arabi and gives a speech at Cooper Union college, in which he calls on U.S. youth to “rethink Palestine.” (See Doc. B1 in JPS 174 for more on the speech.) (MNA 9/21) .

A Palestinian delegation travels to Cairo ahead of planned indirect talks on 9/23 with Israel. The talks will be exploratory in nature, with the goal of establishing parameters for future talks in 10/2014, and mediated by Egypt. Mbrs. include Fatah leader and delegation head Azzam al-Ahmad, Hamas senior official Abu Marzuq, and Islamic Jihad leader Khalid al-Batsh. Meanwhile, Fatah and Hamas officials meet in Cairo to discuss issues facing the unity govt., such as paying salaries and rebuilding the Gaza Strip. They will continue their talks on 9/24. (AP, MNA 9/22; MNA 9/23)

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishermen, causing no damage or injuries. IDF troops open fire on gravel collectors nr. the Gaza border fence, injuring 2. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Hebron and 2 villages and al-Fawar r.c. nearby, in Salfit and 1 nearby village, and in 1 village nr. Jenin during the day. (PCHR 9/25)

An anonymous Israeli official tells the media that indirect cease-fire talks will recommence in Cairo on 9/23. Egyptian media, meanwhile, report that Hamas and Fatah will hold talks over national reconciliation before the joint Palestinian delegation opens negotiations with the Israelis in Cairo. (HA, REU, WAFA 9/20)

An Israeli drone crashes inside s. Lebanon. The IDF says a technical malfunction, rather than a targeted attack, caused the crash. (AFP, JP 9/20)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and kill an unarmed Palestinian in al-Am‘ari r.c. nr. Ramallah during clashes with residents that were prompted by an arrest raid. IDF troops demolish 5 structures in a village nr. Yatta. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 5 villages nr. Hebron. Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries or damage. (MNA 9/10; PCHR 9/11)

Hamas announces that indirect talks with Israel are set to resume in Cairo in mid-9/2014. (AFP 9/10)

A ship sailing to Italy from Egypt full of around 500 migrants—including Palestinians fleeing Gaza, Egyptians, and Sudanese— capsizes in the Mediterranean after another ship of human traffickers rams their vessel. Approximately 450 of the passengers are killed or unaccounted for, and the survivors are picked up by various vessels and taken to Sicily, Crete, and Egypt. The Egyptian govt. releases few details about the incident and the Egyptian media largely ignores the story. (NYT 9/15; AP, NYT 9/19)

U.S. Pres. Obama authorizes air strikes in Syria, for the 1st time, and further attacks in Iraq targeting the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) group. The new target list will include ISIS’s “leadership, logistical, and operational capability,” in an attempt to “deny [the group] sanctuary and resources to plan, prepare and execute attacks.” (AP, REU 9/10)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Hebron and 2 nearby villages late at night; patrols in 1 village each nr. Hebron, Ramallah, and Salfit. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces raid a number of houses in Issawiyya, arresting 2 Palestinians. (PCHR 9/11)

Israeli soldiers deliver land confiscation orders to Palestinians nr. Yatta s. of Hebron, declaring the seizure of 2,000 dunams (around 500 acres) of Palestinian-owned land for military purposes. (MNA, WAFA 9/7) 

PA Pres. Abbas arrives in Cairo for a 3-day visit. On arrival, Abbas says that Hamas is jeopardizing the PA unity govt. “There are 27 under secys. of ministries who are running the Gaza Strip, and the national unity govt. cannot do anything on the ground,” he says. Meanwhile, ahead of a meeting with Abbas, Arab League secy.-gen. Nabil al-‘Arabi says that the Palestinian leader is ready for “real negotiations” with Israel in line with “the principles established in international resolutions.” (HA, ToI 9/6)

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. alSudaniyya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries or damage, but arresting 2 fishermen. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and wound a wanted Fatah activist during a raid in Nablus, then arrest him. The IDF patrols in Tulkarm and the nearby Nur Shams r.c., as well as 1 village nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian home in Bayt Hanina. (MNA 9/3; PCHR 9/4)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry meets with PLO chief negotiator Erakat and senior PA official Faraj for 2 hours in Washington to discuss the Israeli expropriation of 988 acres of West Bank land, the planned negotiations in Cairo, and other issues. Later, Kerry speaks with Israeli PM Netanyahu over the phone regarding the 8/31 expropriation announcement. (AFP, AJ, YA 9/3)

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats on 2 separate occasions (nr. Rafah and nr. alSudaniyya), causing no injuries or damage. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and wound a Palestinian driving through a checkpoint nr. Qalqilya. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village each nr. Jenin and Tulkarm, and in Nablus, where clashes break out with residents, and 2 Palestinians are injured with live ammunition. During the day, the IDF patrols in 3 villages nr. Ramallah, and 1 village each nr. Jericho, Salfit, and Jenin. IDF troops also demolish a dairy factory in Hebron owned by the Islamic Charitable Society. (MNA, WAFA 9/2; PCHR 9/4)

 Wael Atiyeh, Egypt’s amb. to Palestine, says that no date has yet been set for a return to indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, and that an agenda for the meetings in Cairo also needs to be finalized. Meanwhile, Qais Abdel Karim, a mbr. of the Palestinian delegation, says that Israel’s shunning of talks would “render the cease-fire null and void,” responding to reports in the Israeli media that Netanyahu does not intend to resume cease-fire talks. (JP, MNA 9/2)

The U.S. State Dept. and the EU foreign affairs office both condemn Israel’s recent expropriation of 988 acres in the West Bank on 8/31. (HA, WAFA 9/2)

A roadside bomb kills 11 Egyptian police officers nr. al-Wifaq in the Sinai Peninsula close to the Gaza border. (AP 9/2)